Forge FC’s Jassem Koleilat wins 2025 Golden Glove Award

In his first season as a full-time starter with Forge FC, Jassem Koleilat has been voted the league’s top goalkeeper, winning the Canadian Premier League’s Golden Glove at the CPL Awards on Friday.

In his first year with the Hammers in 2024, Koleilat played 14 CPL matches and turned heads, but in 2025 the net was all his. Koleilat started 27 of 28 regular season matches for Forge, and kept a CPL-record 13 clean sheets, making 61 saves. Koleilat also conceded the fewest goals per 90 minutes in the league at just 0.78, and boasted a 73.8% save percentage.

The 26-year-old was up against Atlético Ottawa’s Nathan Ingham and Cavalry FC’s Marco Carducci for this award – who will play against each other in Sunday’s Canadian Premier League Final. The winner was determined by voting by technical leadership from all eight CPL clubs as well as by select media members, representing local and national outlets.

This was the first time Koleilat has been nominated for the Golden Glove. Carducci (2019 and 2022) is one of two multiple-time winners alongside former Forge netminder Triston Henry (2020 and 2023). Valour FC loanee Jonathan Sirois won in 2021, and the 2024 winner was Emil Gazdov, then of Pacific FC.

The winner of the Golden Glove award receives a unique piece of Inuit soapstone art, conceived by artist Kellipalik Etidloie and carved by Ruben Komangapik. The Canadian Inuit Dog statue is awarded annually to the CPL goalkeeper voted best at his position because the Canadian Inuit Dog and goalkeepers are, similarly, protectors who play vital roles in guarding their communities.